I read through the Statement of Ethical Principles by the Engineering Council and revised by the Royal Academy of Engineering. I found that the key ethical principles listed were; honesty and integrity; respect for life, law, the environment and public good; accuracy and rigour; and leadership and communication. As a student in engineering and an IET member, it is important that I commit to these principles.
As the IET rules of conduct states, I should observe the statement of ethical principles set by the Engineering Council and the Royal Academy of Engineering. Honest and integrity involves being trustworthy and fair. This can include respecting the wishes of some to keep information confidential as well as respecting the privacy and rights of others. Integrity means that an ethical engineer should not accept corrupt influences such as bribes or professional misconduct. Additionally, the IET Professionalism and Ethics in Engineering states that miscarriages of justice, criminal activity, environmental harm and health and safety hazards should be reported to the employer. As an engineer, that means it is my responsibility to maintain my integrity and avoid malpractices which are not supported by the ethical principles. This also includes being aware of my actions such as acting reliably and aware of others actions where their work or behaviour has a negative impact on another.
Another ethical principle is the respect for life, including the health and safety of others and the natural environment. I should ensure that my work is lawful and justified. I will make sure to respect the personal information and intellectual properties of others and give importance to data protection and security of physical or digital assets. The IET states that engineers should avoid wasting natural resources and damaging the environment, which is supported by the Statement of Ethical Principles by the Engineering Council. Furthermore, when I am speaking on a public platform such as social media, I must be mindful of what I post to prevent slandering the company. I should also not give public statements on areas that I am not qualified in or providing information that might serve a certain agenda or support a certain party.
I will follow the ethical principles by acting with accuracy and rigour. This means I will act with care and prevent myself or others from being led astray when working on projects. I should also ensure that my knowledge is up to date and that my skills are still relevant by researching the latest advancements in engineering, which is stated in the Statement of Ethical Principles. The IET Professionalism and Ethics in Engineering also states that in addition to keeping knowledge and skills updated, I should keep records of the professional development that I have completed. Any work done by me or under my supervision is my personal responsibility and therefore I should not start professional work that I am not competent at or lack the relevant skills for.
By following the guidance provided by the IET, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Engineering Council, I will be able to ensure that I act ethically and professionally to represent myself or a company.One source that I would recommend that relates to engineering ethics is from Tufts University: https://sites.tufts.edu/eeseniordesignhandbook/2013/engineering-ethics-2/. I chose this source as it relates more closely to me as an electrical and electronics engineer and since it provides a clear guide on how to solve ethical engineering problems. The procedure that is recommended is to define the problem and gather accurate and relevant information on the problem. Then multiple moral viewpoints on the problem can be analysed to come up with the most suitable course of action. This course of action should be supported by facts and statistics to prevent biases.
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